British Online Bankers Outnumber Facebookers

Online banking is attracting more attention from British consumers than social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, a new survey shows.

A poll of 1,500 online British consumers found that 77% visit the Internet to bank, the same percentage that also said they shop online and use the Internet for vacation planning.

Meanwhile, only 58% use social media, 53% use auction sites such as eBay, 37% look for jobs and 36% download music and films. The online survey was conducted in September by Opinion Matters for Nationwide Building Society, the Swindon, England-based financial services organization.

The survey also found that 25% of online British consumers bank online two to four times a week and 12% done once a day. Tablet computer use is likely to drive that number higher, Nationwide said.

"Online banking has really taken off over the last few years and that is something we have been very aware of with the launch of our new and improved Internet bank, but I have to say even we were surprised to see it beat social media as one of the top reasons the nation goes online," said Richard Searle, the society’s head of channel integration.